Creator Economy
5 min to read

What is the difference between a social media influencer and a content creator?

Are influencer and content creator interchangeable terms? Not quite! On one hand, we have well-known personalities on social media and on the other, we have creators who produce valuable content for a specific audience. Here’s all you need to know!

February 1, 2023
Carolina Guimarães

What is a Social Media Influencer?

You’ve all heard of influencers and may have come across some on Instagram, TikTok, or other social media platforms. They usually build large audiences and collaborate with brands to promote products or services.

Most of the times, famous people such as soccer players, singers or public figures are the ones who boast substantial followings on social media. While being a celebrity certainly opens the door to digital influence, there are alternative paths to achieving it as well! There are plenty of bloggers who have established large followings and gained widespread recognition through social platforms.

These personalities have gained significant significance both socially and commercially. They are considered as sources of inspiration across various fields including beauty, fashion, travel, and overall lifestyle. Brands also recognize their potential and seek partnerships with them to boost their sales. Overall, influencers have become a powerful tool for businesses.

But let's not forget that influencers are not always truly connected with their audience. While some aim to create genuine content and engage with their audience, others use social media for monetization only. That is why brands should be very careful while choosing influencers to work with and pick those who align with their values and strategy.

What can an Influencer bring to your Brand?

Working with influencer to gain exposure and boost brand awareness can be a highly effective marketing strategy. Over the past few years, we've seen plenty of strong influencer marketing campaigns with amazing results. here’s a list of the main advantages that an influencer campaign can bring:

  • Influencers have the potential to inspire their audience

They have already built trust with their followers and established credibility within their audience. Besides, they are admired and ma be considered as a source of inspiration. This means that when they recommend a product or service, their followers are more likely to take notice and consider purchasing.

  • Influencer marketing can be more cost-effective than traditional advertising.

Instead of only buying ads, businesses should consider collaborating more with influencers to create sponsored content that aligns with their brand. This can result in much more authentic and effective promotions of their products and services, especially when they establish long-term partnerships.

  • Influencers are likely to reach a fairly diverse audience

Influencers have a diverse range of followers, which means that businesses can reach new audiences that they may not have been able to reach through traditional advertising. This can help to increase brand awareness and drive sales.

  • Influencers create more relatable and personal content

Influencers can show the product in use and give an honest review, which can make it much more appealing to their followers. This type of content is extremely relatable and that is what makes it valuable.

  • Influencers can help creating a sense of community around the brand

By engaging with their followers, influencers create a sense of loyalty and trust, which can lead to repeat customers and long-term success. If the influencer successfully associates a product with the aspirational lifestyle they promote, a sense of community is established around the brand and it becomes perceived as a part of this lifestyle.

In short, collaborating with influencers has the potential to greatly benefit a brand, as long as the influencer marketing strategy is well-defined and carefully planned.

What is a Social Media Content Creator?

A content creator is a person who creates and publishes original content on various digital platforms. Depending on the social platform they use to build their audience, he can create content in a wide variety of formats such as videos, photos, texts and even lives. Also, they often have a specific area of expertise or a unique perspective that they share with their followers.

Content creators exist in a vast array of niche areas, including gastronomy, fitness, and even maternity. The scope of specialization limitless! Their main commun point is their use of social media to share their expertise and offer valuable tips and tricks to their followers. They produce highly valuable content, making their social media veritable treasure troves.

Why is it different than an influencer?

Nearly all content creators gain notoriety through their social media presence, which isn't always the case for well-established celebrities that become influencers. Content creators cultivate their audience through the quality of their content, which is directly tied to the value of the messages they spread. While many influencers don’t need to invest time and money in content creation to have massive followings.

Most of the time, big influencers have a job that is not necessarily related to content creation. And we all know that mega influencers such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Selena Gomez are known for their fame and not for what they post on social media. These massive influencers may have wide audiences, but they are not as engaged with their followers as a content creator.

In contrast, a content creator's worth is closely tied to the value they bring to their community on social media and not to the amount of followers they have. In fact, a micro content creator with less than 20K followers is more likely to have a strong engagement rate and be trusted by his community. That’s why micro influencer marketing is becoming significant opportunity for brands to increase sales.

Another important aspect to consider about content creators is that they tend to have specialized knowledge and expertise in a particular area. By honing in on a specific niche, they are able to form tight-knit communities with shared interests and establish their credibility as experts. As a result, their opinions and advice carry weight with their followers, and they can be seen as an authority in their field.

And let’s not forget about the precious time content creators invest on social media. They're always active on social media, creating content, engaging with followers, collaborating with other creators, and never taking a break from their digital presence. Content creators make a real effort to innovate their content, they remain connected to their audience and come up with creative ways to communicate.

What kind of content can he do for a brand?

Good content creators have a deep understanding of their niche and audience, and they use this knowledge to create content that is informative, entertaining, and valuable. They also have a strong personal brand and a unique voice and perspective that sets them apart from others.

They can create a wide range of content for a brand such as sponsored posts, product reviews, tutorials, and how-to videos that showcase the brand's products or services in a positive light. They can also create behind-the-scenes content that gives followers a glimpse into the brand's operations and values. Not to mention live streams and social media stories that are designed to increase brand awareness, drive sales, and engage with their followers.

Regardless of the chosen format, a good content creator is able to use their expertise to enhance a brand and its products. By crafting engaging content and fostering a loyal following, they are able to establish trust with their followers. This trust enables brands to effectively target and connect with their desired audience.

About the author

Carolina Guimarães

The big winner of the Nationality Oscar (Portuguese, Brazilian and French!), and new Right-Hand of the CEO is full of joy. In her 2022 vision board you will find: dance, Blair Waldorf’s wardrobe, lots of ice cream and an excel board of the future! #IceCreamAddict🍦 #SciencePo🎓